


In My Eyes

by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions)



Series: I'll Be There For You (Platonic Week III) [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Platonic VLD Week 2017, Season/Series 02, Shiro is possessed by the Black Lion again, Somewhere around there, ish?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 22:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12567996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticReactions/pseuds/BossToaster
Summary: After a fight with the Galra, the Black Lion has to take control of Shiro for a longer period of time.  Allura finds herself uncomfortable.





	In My Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE: If you haven't read [ this original fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8604676/chapters/19817161) and the [follow-up here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9566819/chapters/26000262), you will be very confused. So go do that first.

Shiro sat on the edge of the table on the med bay, perched as through perfectly comfortable. His chin was held high, and he looked around with nearly lazy indifference, gaze calmly flickering from person to person. For once, he showed none of his usual tension, even while sitting in a medical room.

In short, he looked very little like his normal self. Allura swallowed hard as she watched, trying to pinpoint exactly what was discomforting her so much about Shiro’s posture. Everything was wrong, and it was certainly eerie. But none of it should have made Allura feel so… off balance.

Keith stood by his side, fingers up but not quite touching the red spot on Shiro’s neck. He looked over Shiro’s face, brow furrowed and lips curled down. He should have looked upset. Moody, even, as he was often accused.

Instead he looked lost.

“Should we bandage this up?” He asked, finally looking over to Coran.

Considering, Coran tapped on the console. “I suppose we can. I’ve taken all the samples we need. You are… you’re doing alright there, Number One?”

Shiro blinked slowly, head tilted. “Yes,” he replied tonelessly.

Because it wasn’t Shiro in control at the moment. It was the Black Lion.

Allura had experienced much with the paladins of old. The ability to take over a paladin in times of trouble was only supposed to be used in emergencies. In her years, she’d only found out after it was used once, and never seen it with her own eyes. There had been other times before her, she knew, but they became more rare as the paladins gained experience. Her father had said specifically that the Red Lion rejected the ability, and so he’d never experienced it for himself, but Blaytz, Trigel, and Gyrgan had all needed it at least once.

As far as she knew, Zarkon had never been taken over either. Allura couldn’t imagine it, both from the Emperor of the present, and the paladin of the past. He’d always been too controlled, too self-possessed.

Allura might have said the same of Shiro, except this was the third time the Black Lion had done this. Twice it had been for outright silly reasons.

And now today.

“Tell me again,” Allura said, tone steady despite her discomfort. “Please, how did this happen?”

Shiro’s gaze snapped onto her, and Allura tensed. Even in a temper, Shiro was a steady presence. They all knew he was more than capable of causing harm or wielding his authority. But his edges were dulled, his rare verbal strikes always blunt force rather than an open blade.

The Black Lion was a very difference being.

Tilting his head, Shiro - Black - managed to look down his nose at Allura, though he was still seated. “I will not.” The words came out nearly snapped.

Allura fought the urge to lean back, a little stung by the tone.

“Why not?” Lance asked. “This is important. The more you can tell us, the faster we can fix this.”

Black blinked at Lance. Nothing in his expression actually changed, but now he seemed fond. “I am aware.”

Why did Lance get such softness, and Allura had gotten his temper?

“Then why?” Pidge asked. “Is there a reason you won’t tell?”

“I will tell you,” Black replied simply. “You may ask. You did not order.”

That-

A choked noise escaped Allura before she could help it. “That’s all?”

Dark eyes snapped back onto her, now stormy. “That is everything. You do not command me, Princess of Altea. Your father did not, and my paladin does not. You will not either.”

That-

Allura’s fingers twitched, desperate to clench and show her anger. She’d been disrespected before, but never from someone on the team. Certainly never from Shiro, who seemed to take her title the most seriously.

She’d even said  _ please! _

“Um.” Hunk glanced between Black and Allura, pulling nervously at the bottom of his shirt. His fingers found a tray thread and began to absently pull on it. “Will you, then? Tell us, I mean. Is Shiro okay?”

Immediately, Black’s expression softened again. “He is well. He sleeps. Even when he rests with me, he is usually aware. Now he does not stir, and he does not hear.” His lips pulled down. “It is wrong. But he is not in pain.”

“So he’s mentally unconscious, basically?” Pidge frowned thoughtfully. “They didn’t inject him with anything that I can tell. They just shocked him. Unless you’ve found something, Coran.”

Shaking his head, Coran stepped over. “No, there’s nothing in Shiro’s bloodstream. And all his tests came back normal. Or, at least, close to it.” He eyed Black ruefully.

“The shock interacted with this.” Black held up the prosthetic, eying it with open disdain. “It would have made him open to being abducted. But I was there.” Black’s chin rose regally.

That was it. That, right there, was why Allura felt so off balance. She’d dealt with other royalty before, through alliances, the court and her family, but with the Black Lion it felt different.

It was very, very rare that Allura felt  _ outranked. _

Keith frowned. He finally reached out, touching over the silver metal. “Thank you,” he murmured, so soft that Allura wouldn’t have heard it with human ears.

The Black Lion blinked at him, as if considering something. Then he reached up and rested a hand on top of Keith’s head. “I will protect my paladin. And while he sleeps, I will protect you all, as he would wish.”

Closing his eyes, Keith took a deep breath and nodded. “Shiro will appreciate that.”

“Can I see the arm?” Pidge asked gently, looking between them both.

Nodding, Black held it out for inspection. Pidge and Hunk swarmed him, murmuring between themselves as they tried to figure what had interacted with the shock to cause such a reaction.

“It has to be one of the neurological components,” Hunk mused, absently turning the wrist and making the fingers curl. For the moment, he seemed to have forgotten that it was attached to someone.

Pidge hummed, not quite disagreeing. “Maybe? They’re all kind of interconnected. It could have been a shut-off for the arm, that just turned off more than intended.”

“Or it worked exactly how they thought it would.”

“Well, yes, but we can’t guarantee that, so we can’t assume.”

Raising the hand over both their heads, Black arched a brow. “It does not matter.”

Both shared a look. “Uh, I mean, I think…” Hunk winced and swallowed. “I think it does? No offense! Clearly you came up with a solution. This works out. But maybe we shouldn’t, you know, rely on it.”

“We’re going to fix it,” Pidge said, chin up and eyes flashing, the picture of stubborn defiance. “It’s safer for Shiro if we do.”

For a moment, Allura thought the blank expression meant irritation. But instead Black reached over and placed a hand on top of each of their heads, just for a moment. The same gesture he’d done to Keith.

A head pat, if a very awkward one.

“It does not matter because you will build a new one,” Black declared, as if it were a foregone conclusion. “You may study this one after, if you still wish, but an arm of your design will be superior to that of the Former Queen. If you gain access to the comet materials, it will be made from the same metals that we are. That will be sufficient for my paladin.”

Hunk’s mouth fell open. “You want us to make Shiro a brand new arm?”

“Yes.”

“But that’s so much- all those tiny parts, and- just the power source alone, and not to mention all those  _ nerves!” _ Hunk’s hands slowly came up to clutch at his vest as his face went red with growing anxiety. “I don’t even know where to start.”

Pidge cleared her throat. “Well, alright, I’ve kind of been working on a new arm for Shiro? On the side, I mean. I’ve asked him about it once or twice, but he never wanted to do it. He said it was better to go with the model we know works well, without adjustments.” Her eyes flashed. “As if what I built  _ wouldn’t _ work.”

“Your ship modifications blew up on me and Allura,” Keith pointed out flatly.

Pausing, Pidge pulled off her glasses, absently fiddling with them. “Well, yes. But it  _ worked. _ ”

“If Shiro said he didn’t want to, he won’t be happy if he wakes up and we’ve done it,” Lance pointed out. He crossed his arms tightly, eyes narrowed.

Black shook his head. “My paladin has several reason, but he mostly fears the pain. This arm hurt him badly when it was attached.”

It was such a flat delivery, but the words still sent a spike of pain through Allura’s chest. Her hand clapped over her mouth just as Keith tensed, fingers clenched tight at his sides.

“Oh,” Lance replied, voice very small. “Um.”

“If you finish it before my paladin wakes, then he will not feel any harm. It will solve the problem.”

“What about you?” Allura asked quietly. “Will it hurt you?”

Black straightened and pinned Allura with his gaze.

Those weren’t the eyes of someone of Shiro’s experience. He was young for his species, if older than the other paladins, and he’d been through much.

That had nothing on the many, many years the Black Lion had existed. It was a blink, an idle thought.

“It will hurt this body,” Black said. “Temporarily, and then it will be better. It will not hurt  _ me.” _

Unable to help it, Allura shivered.

With that, Black focused back on Hunk and Pidge. “My paladin has seen what you are both capable of. He knows you are able to build beyond expectations, and that your skills are unmatched. You will build the arm.”

Swallowing hard, Hunk looked over Black’s face. His cheeks stained red again, this time from flattery rather than anxiety. “Shiro thinks that?”

“It is truth, by his perceptions.” Black frowned, brow furrowing slightly. “Is he incorrect?”

Pidge straightened her shoulders and shook her head, eyes shining. “No, he’s not. I can’t promise we’ll do it before he wakes up, though. It takes time to build an arm, and it’ll have to be tested first.”

Considering that, Black nodded. “That is acceptable. You will begin the process, and if it takes longer, I will take over again.”

Lance opened his mouth, still looking slightly mulish, but he finally dropped his shoulders, visibly giving up on the argument. Which was wise. The lion seemed impossible to argue with. It was better to go along with it and protest if necessary later.

Either not noticing or completely ignoring Lance’s body language, Black hopped to his feet. “It is time for a meal.” And with that, he started for the door without so much as a glance backwards.

“Woah, wait, I haven’t gotten anything started yet!” Hunk hopped to his feet and scrambled after Black.

“The goo is pre-made.”

Lance’s face fell. “Ah, man, no.”

Beaming, Coran started after, hands folded at the small of his back. “See? The lions appreciate Altean cooking.” His tone was easy, but there was tension at the corner of his eyes. Behind his back, his hands clenched into uncomfortable fists.

Allura filed out with the group, watching with amusement as Lance shouldered his way up front to speak to Black. Whatever he said earned him one of those clumsy head-pats.

Despite the sweet scene, Allura’s stomach turned.

There was such a noticeable difference between how Black treated the other paladins, and how he treated her. Why? The head pats and open praises seemed to come from Shiro’s perceptions of each of them.

Did Shiro think badly of her?

***

When Allura was feeling off balance or worried, there was always one place she could go.

Or, more accurately, there four beings she could go to.

“Your turn,” Allura declared, clapping her hands together and smiling down at the mice. “Choose something you spy.”

With a series of squeaks, the mice turned in to face each other, huddled up in a tiny, tight circle. They managed a fair approximation of a whisper, and Allura got the mental image of darkness from all of them - the mental version of being blindfolded.

After several seconds of deliberation, all four burst apart. Plachu’s tail waved eagerly as they pointed to Chuchule and let out a chitter.

“You see something red?”

Plachu shook their head, frowning. They they pointed to Chuchule’s tail instead.

“Oh, pink!”

Four cheers were her answer.

Okay, something pink in the room. Allura hummed quietly, glancing around the lounge. “Uh, those flowers from Travynia?”

Platt crossed his paws in front of him and gave a slow shake of his head.

“Hm, alright.” Allura tapped her chin. “Oh! My dress?”

This time Chulatt snickered and covered their mouth as they shook their head rapidly.

What else was pink in here? “Your tails? That’s cheating if it is, you used it as an example.”

Chulatt’s laughter only grew laughter as Chuchule gripped their tail and shook their head.

The door opened, and Lance stepped in. “Oh, hey, Princess,” he greeted. “Am I interrupting?”

“No, I can’t say you are,” Allura replied, offering him a smile. “We’re just playing a game that Pidge taught us. She called it ‘I Spy’, I believe?”

Lance grinned and hopped onto the couch next to her. “Hey, I love that game. What are we spying for?”

Sighing, Allura crossed her arms. “Something pink that is not a mouse, a mouse’s tail, the flowers, or a dress.”

“Huh.” Lance looked around, head tilted. “Not a lot of pink left after that.” He looked back at Allura, and then his eyes narrowed. “Do your earrings count as part of your dress?”

Plachu let out a loud chitter, one paw held up.

“It absolutely counts,” Allura argued, hands on her hips. “You chose something I couldn’t see, you sneaky things.”

“Pretty tricky of you guys,” Lance pointed out. “I’d say it’s not really in the spirit of the game, but… yeah, it totally is. I think the point is to try and trip up your siblings as much as possible. At least, that’s what I tried to do.” He reached out and rubbed Platt behind one big, yellow ear. Immediately, the mouse flopped down, head leaning into the touch.

Allura smiled. “That sounds very much like a game Pidge would enjoy, then.”

Nodding, Lance glanced over. “Oh, yeah. Totally up her alley. At least, a much younger Pidge’s alley. And, uh, hey. You okay?”

“Yes?” Allura stared at him, stunned by the question. “Is something wrong?” Did she look not okay? Was there was something wrong with her?

Lance winced. “I don’t know, maybe I’m way off base. But you were kind of quiet at lunch, and you slipped out pretty fast once you ate. I was wondering if something happened.”

Oh. Allura hadn’t thought anyone would notice. The attention had been so firmly on the novelty of the Black Lion in control of Shiro.

“There’s nothing wrong,” Allura replied easily. “I simply finished my meal.”

Brows up, Lance stared her down. “Look,” he said. “I know I haven’t always been, I dunno, the kind of person you feel comfortable around. But I can tell when you’re lying. If something’s wrong, you can tell me. Us. Anyone. We’re happy to help, just like you try and help us so much.”

Allura’s cheeks flushed slightly. “I don’t think of you so negatively. It’s simply nothing important.”

“If that’s the case, there’s no problem in telling me,” Lance said. “I can keep a secret. Really, I can. I keep lots of secrets.”

“Like what?”

“Like how-” Lance cut himself off, mouth closing with a click of teeth. “That was sneaky. Nope, I see through you. You’re not catching me off guard like that. I’m a secrets  _ ninja.” _

Allura let out a soft laugh. Reaching out, she cupped her hands so the mice could climb aboard, then be moved to her lap. “I don’t know what a ninja is,” she reminded. “But I believe you. It’s silly.” But Lance continued to stare, brows up, so she sighed. “The Black Lion seems uncomfortable around me, that’s all.”

“Black isn’t-” Lance paused, then his brows came together. “I guess I could see that. Maybe not uncomfortable. Defensive?”

“Yes, well, whatever the feeling, it seemed best to give him distance,” Allura replied. “And that’s no issue. It’s a big castle, and there’s plenty of things for me to be doing. Some more important than others.”

Grinning, Lance waved to the mice. “I Spy is definitely the most important one. I don’t think you had to leave. Like, fair enough, but you don’t need to feel pushed out. This is your home, you’re totally welcome into the group, no matter what Black is like.”

Maybe. But Allura couldn’t help wondering what the difference was. Why Black was so cold to her and so soft to the others. Had Shiro secretly been thinking poorly of her all this time? Had something changed to make him uncomfortable around her? Had Allura offended him somehow?

If Shiro, who seemed so kind and open, didn’t like Allura, who else didn’t like her?

Allura knew she wasn’t always the most socially graceful. She could perform to the rules of her station flawlessly, drilled by years of personal instruction from the best tutors. But one on one, without those guides in place, she was sometimes out of her depth. It would be easy for her to push too far or cause offense, especially when dealing with such an alien culture. Not to mention all the paladins were so  _ different _ from each other. They often caused each other offense without meaning too, even coming from at least the same school. How was Allura supposed to interact with them without problems? Especially since she had no guide to fall back on. She couldn’t treat them like she treated the paladins of old, but she didn’t have any comparable other title or position to place them in. She was on her own.

“Hey, Princess,” Lance murmured, his voice gentler. “You’re quiet again.”

“Apologies, I was distracted,” she replied, holding her head up high. The regal posture was a habit, drilled into her from the time she was old enough to understand instruction. “I don’t feel pushed out of my home, there’s no need to worry.”

Lance opened his mouth, looking like he was going to argue. But before he could, the door opened again.

“Let me down!” Keith huffed, draped gracelessly over Shiro’s - Black’s - shoulder. He was ruffled, like he’d been chased down.

Black only tightened his grip on Keith. “No. My paladin worries that you spend time alone. Since he is not awake, I will make sure you socialize with the other organic lifeforms.”

Snickering, Lance gave a cheerful wave. “Yeah, Keith, come socialize with us organic people.”

“See?”

“He’s teasing me,” Keith snarled back. But he didn’t try to fight back as he was grabbed by the waist and heaved up, and then dropped onto the couch. When he sat up, his hair was even messier than before, and his cheeks were flushed. “I was fine on my own.”

Black blinked at him, unimpressed. “You were brooding.”

“Oh my god,” Lance managed, clapping his hand over his mouth. His eyes watered with mirth. “Even the Black Lion thinks you’re moody.”

Scowling, Keith crossed his arms. “I wasn’t brooding! I was just pacing.” There was a hint of color to his cheeks though that gave lie to his words.

Leaning in closer, Black considered him, then did one of those clumsy head taps again. “This is time you would normally spend with my paladin. I understand. I will stand in.”

“Aww,” Lance offered, fluttering his lashes.

“If you find it amusing, you will join us.” Black pinned Lance with a sharp look. “You are upsetting the red paladin. Cease.”

Lance started to near vibrate with barely restrained laughter, even as Keith groaned and covered his face with his hands.

Looking between them both, Black frowned, eyes narrowed. “You are not behaving.” He managed to make the words sound like a crime.

“I’m behaving,” Lance managed. He gripped the fabric of his pants hard, still shaking with the need to laugh. “Totally being good.”

Lips pursed, Black considered him. Somehow, he managed to give the impression of a tail slowly waving in irritation. “Training,” he finally decided. “You will not be able to tease if you are tired.”

Keith’s mouth fell open in outrage. “I was already training!”

“Then you will have no objections to the plan.”

For a moment, Lance looked torn. “What about Pidge and Hunk?”

Black blinked at him, as if he were being slow. “They are making the arm, along with the former Red Paladin’s adviser. They are not to be disturbed. You, however, have no such task. You will train.”

Letting out a long sigh, Lance nodded. “Alright, yeah.” But then he nudged Allura with his elbow. It looked like a violent action, but Allura knew from watching the Terrans that it was meant to be a friendly gesture. “Maybe Allura can help run it.”

Considering her, Black tilted his head. Then he gave a sharp nod. “Yes. That is acceptable. You can run the programs.”

Well, that wasn’t how Allura had wanted to spend her afternoon, but it was at least a useful activity. And Black seemed to welcome her presence, so perhaps it wouldn’t be a problem. “I suppose I can help,” she allowed, gracious as she could manage.

Immediately, Black pursed his lips and eyed her.

Again. Why always that reaction?

“Come,” Black commanded, standing. “There are many ways you can improve.”

“Hey,” Lance protested, climbing to his feet. “We’ve gotten pretty good!”

“You have survived challenges you have faced,” Black acknowledged. “And your skills have vastly improved. But there is still much you can do better on. My paladin as well. A paladin must always strive to be worthy of their lion.”

Huffing, Keith stood up and rolled his shoulders. “I’m really glad Red doesn’t do that stuff,” he muttered.

Allura could only nod in agreement.

One was bad enough.

***

It was difficult to tell the motivations behind Black’s choices. While occasionally he was very open with Shiro’s opinions and feelings, he didn’t offer his own, and his expressions were much less emotive.

Which did make sense. After all, the lions weren’t very physically expressive, being made of metal.

However, it meant Allura couldn’t tell if pairing Keith and Lance together for the invisible maze was convenience, ignorance, or strategy.

Regardless, the end result was frustrating.

“Three steps forward,” Keith declared, voice tense over the intercom. “Then turn left.”

Lance shot the booth a narrow look, then obeyed, stepping forward.

On the third step, he ran right into the wall. Yelping, he stumbled back and covered his nose. “Ow! Hey! What was that for?”

“I said three steps, not four!”

“That  _ was _ three steps,” Lance snapped back. “I counted. It was totally three?”

There was a long beat of silence. “Whatever. Just go left.”

Lance snorted. “So you can walk me into another wall. How dumb do you think I am?”

This time, the silence was pointed.

Alright, enough was enough. Allura cleared her throat. “I believe the issue here is that Lance’s legs are longer than yours, Keith. Are you accounting for that?”

“Oh.” Even without seeing his face, Allura could imagine Keith’s wide-eyed look, then the way he’d duck his head. “Okay. Got it.”

“Got it, he says,” Lance muttered darkly. “Sure, easy for him to say.”

Black crossed his arms, eyes narrow. “This has not been a successful training session,” he muttered, so quiet that Allura nearly wasn’t sure she was supposed to hear it.

Even so, she glanced over at him, head tilted. “Perhaps a demonstration to show how it should work?”

“Hm.” Black looked down at her. “Yes. I will do the maze. Red, come down from the booth. Blue, move your hands.”

Lance dropped his hands down, frowning. “Why?”

“I want to see if you are injured, or if you are exaggerating the pain to make a point.”

Scowling, Lance shrugged and moved away from the maze. “I walked into a wall. It really hurt.”

Even so, Black stepped over and pressed his thumbs along Lance’s nose and cheeks, as if checking for a broken nose. Lance submitted to the treatment without complaint, though he didn’t look pleased.

“There is no harm done,” Black declared. “You will watch the next round carefully, understood?”

Lance flapped a hand. “Yeah, yeah, I gotcha.” He sat down heavily against the wall, then cast a look at Black that was almost mournful. When Keith joined them shortly after, he gave Black a quick nod, then choose to sit next to Lance instead.

At first, Allura was confused. She’d never seen Keith choose to stay in Lance’s proximity rather than Shiro’s.

But it wasn’t Shiro. This was Black, and she suspected the differences were starting to grate.

Allura sympathized completely.

Heading up to the booth, Allura took a seat and pulled up the map. Once Black was standing in the right spot, she activated the maze. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Black replied, slowly turning his head from side to side. He stepped forward, then froze, and his eyes darted up to the booth.

“Go left,” Allura called. “Three paces.”

Black’s jaw worked, a surprisingly open display of emotion. Then he turned, shoulders tense and set, as he stalked the three steps. Then he took an extra, and barely blinked as his hand brushed the wall.

Perhaps this idea hadn’t been well thought out.

Looking up again, Black rose his brows impatiently, expression openly frosty.

“Four steps forward, then right two. Another left after that.”

Really, the Black Lion had no business being bothered. They knew the exercise, and had wanted to be the one in the maze. This was supposed to be about teaching Keith and Lance.

Allura tried to keep that in mind as Black moved through the maze. His steps were much stiffer than Shiro’s, nearly a march, which meant-

“Stop!” She shouted, just a moment before Black turned too early.

Letting out a noise more like a snarl than a human cry, Black cast a dark look up. Then, still deliberately staring at her, Black took a defiant step forward.

And scraped the wall.

Despite the electric shock, Black pressed forward, forcing his shoulder along the wall until he was at the next hallway. Then he kept going at an annoyed clip.

“Stop that,” Allura ordered, voice raising in alarm. “You’re going to harm Shiro!”

Ignoring her, Black kept going until he hit a wall. He held up the metal arm, not blinking at all from what had to be a continuous, painful shock. The tips scraped against the invisible wall, causing sparks and flashes of energy. He walked along the side, using the pain and light as a guide for where to turn.

Which, yes, was a clever solution to the problem.

It was also  _ stupid. _

“I told you to stop!” Allura called. “What are you doing? This isn’t the training.”

Black continued to ignore her, taking a turn and stalking stubbornly toward the center of the maze.

Alright, that was quite enough of that.

With a tap of a button, Allura canceled the maze. It deactivated with a crackle, momentarily illuminating the path before dissipating entirely. Then she stormed down the stairs and out the door into the room itself.

“You were not told to do that,” Black accused immediately, drawing himself up to his full height. His lips pulled back in a snarl, an expression that looked out of place on Shiro’s face.

Allura put her hands on her hips. “You were going to hurt Shiro, and you were ignoring my directions.”

Huffing, Black narrowed his eyes. “I would never hurt my paladin. Your directions were unnecessary.”

“Your attitude is unnecessary!”

The Black Lion reared back slightly, eyes wide with shock and temper.

Allura matched the move, stepping forward into his space. “I don’t understand what’s motivating you, but whatever it is, I will not permit such actions.”

Eyes narrowing into dangerous slits, Black leaned forward, using Shiro’s natural height to his advantage. “Your permission is irrelevant. I will not be commanded!”

Looking over Black’s face, then tense set of his shoulders, the furious curl of his fingers, the bright shine of his eyes, it clicked.

Allura had thought it was dislike. Lance had thought it was defensiveness.

But it was fear.

The Black Lion was  _ afraid _ of her.

The lion who’s previous paladin had been a ruler, a king of commands and harsh lines drawn even between friends. The lion who had been betrayed by that paladin, been called upon to participate in a dangerous ritual, then had their paladin rise from the ashes as something  _ awful. _

Black looked at Allura like she would do the same, because she ordered with the same ease.

But that didn’t make the behavior acceptable.

“Please,” Allura finally said, her voice gentling. “It’s Shiro who suffers from this. I’m trying to help you.”

Slowly, some of the desperate tension seemed to drain out of Black. He gave a tiny nod, barely perceptible, and then another stronger one. “It’s enough,” he agreed.

Allura’s fingers twitched, tempted to touch, but unwilling to do so without permission. “I have no desire to control you. Only to help and participate.”

Ducking his head, Black shot Allura a flat look through Shiro’s bangs. He didn’t agree, but he also didn’t try to argue further.

“May I see your hands?”

Black took a deep breath, then displayed his palms to her. The metal arm seemed unaffected, but the fingers of his left hand were reddened. He dropped them quickly.

Opening her mouth, Allura paused, thinking through her words more carefully. “I would appreciate it if you would allow me to treat the irritation.”

“That would be wise,” Black admitted, though the words came out reluctantly. Looking over, Black frowned at Keith. “You will stay with the pride?”

Keith glanced between Allura and Black, lips pressed thin. But he gave a short nod. “I will.” He glanced at Lance, brows up, and got a sharp nod in return.

They’d do their best to get along, then, which was all they could ask.

“Good. Thank you.” Black didn’t relax, not really, but the tension in his shoulders was perhaps less pronounced. “You may go.”

While Allura went to get the first aid kit from the storage unit, Keith and Lance stood.

“If you need any help, just give us a call,” Lance offered.

It took a moment, but Allura realized he wasn’t talking to Black. He was speaking to Allura.

But Black was the one to speak. “It will not be necessary, but your assistance is appreciated.”

“No problem.” With that, the door opened, and they both beat a hasty retreat.

Lucky them.

Brining over the case, Allura pulled out the paste that would heal the minor burns. “May I please see your hand again?”

This time, Black offered his hand with less reluctance. He didn’t comment as Allura began to carefully spread the cream over his fingers. But as she finished, he took a deep breath. “My paladin respects you deeply.”

The unexpected endorsement made Allura pause. A small smile curled over her lips as a knot unraveled in her chest. “I’m glad to hear so.”

“He is not like my other,” Black continued. “He is unreserved in his loyalties. Though he is mine, he listens to you without reservation. He would obey your commands, so long as they did not cause unnecessary harm to his pride.”

Allura focused on tucking the cream back into the kit. “I’m honored by his trust.” Finally, she looked up. “You disagree?”

Frowning at her, Black worked his hand. His gaze was painfully direct and intense, enough to make Allura want to look back away. “My paladin was chosen because he was not like my other. Because he prefers loyalty and compassion. I did not understand why he would duck his head to someone royal and accept those commands. There is no reason he must listen to you. He chooses to.”

“I see,” Allura replied quietly, for lack of any better response. As warming as Shiro’s confidence was, especially after her recent scare, she suspected there was a ‘but’.

Black blinked at her slowly. “I have asked my paladin to trust me. Perhaps I should trust my paladin’s perceptions on you more. He is very good at that.” Drawing himself up, the corner of Black’s lips curled up in a proud smile.

It was-

It was cute, which was not a word Allura usually associated with the lions of Voltron.

“I trust Shiro deeply as well,” she replied. “You’re right. He’s very good at finding the good in people and bringing it out. That might be his strongest skill.”

“He has many strong skills.” That smile again, and then Black glanced at the door. “Including encouraging proper behavior in his paladins.”

Allura bit her bottom lip. “I’m sure he’ll be pleased with how hard you’re working.”

Blinking at her again, Black nodded. “I wish to make sure he is comfortable when he wakes. I have seen to his paladins, and I have eaten a meal.”

“Well, what he probably needs most is a rest,” Allura told him.

Black’s lips drew down in the most put out frown he’d shown yet. “Sleep?” He asked, in the same tone that Lance sometimes used for training. “That is… inconvenient, that organic forms require such a thing.”

“Perhaps cleaning up and taking an afternoon off, then. You won’t need to sleep, but you will still give Shiro’s body a break.”

Nodding, Black gave her an approving look. “Yes. I will do that.” He stepped forward, then pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead. “Thank you, Princess of Altea.” Then he stepped back and eyed her. “But you still do not command me. I have known you since you drooled on the former Red paladin’s shoulder.”

Allura’s cheeks flamed, both from the affection and the reminder. “I- I understand.”

“Good.” With that, Black left, his pace sedate and regal.

As he went, Allura covered her face and groaned into her hands.

It had gone well. She had an answer to her questions before, and the Black Lion seemed to be comfortable around her now.

But she would be glad when they had Shiro back.

Really, the only thing that made it bearable was that Shiro was going to be even more mortified than she was.


End file.
